Watch winding mechanism



(No Model.)

W. N. CLIFFORD.

WATCH WINDING MEGHANISM.

N0. 406,702. Patented July 9, 18.89.

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illlllHH R A U a X x b V S H x F E"? lllll N. PETEHS. Fhomhthcgmphur, Washinglan D C) V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VHEELOCK N. CLIFFORD, OF l/VALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

WATCH WlNDlNG MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,702, dated July 9, 1889.

Application filed February 9, 1888. Serial No. 268,527. (No model.) v

To aZZ whom it may concern: tachcd and placed on the pillar-plate at one Be it known that I, IVHEELOCK N. CLIF- side of the mainspring-arbor. Fig. 3 is a de- FORD, of \Valtham, in the county of Middletail sectional view, as hereinafter appears, on sex and State of Massachusetts, have invented the central or axial line of the rotatory arbor 55 5 certain new and useful Improvements in or Winding-stem, through which the winding Mechanism for finding Mainsprings and mechanism shown in the previous figures and Setting Hands of atch-Movements, (applithe hand-setting mechanism, also illustrated cable to other mechanical movements emtherein, are operated. Figs. 4 and 5 are e11- bracin a wound spring for actuating same) larged sections, lines 4: 4L and 5 5, respectively, 60 to of which the following is a full, clear, and of Figsl and 2. Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views. exact description. Fig. Sis a vertical section, and Fig. 9 is a side This invention relates particularly to view, of other forms of arrangement of the mechanism for setting the hands and windmainspring-winding mechanism of this ining the main or actuating spring of a watchvcnti on, all as will hereinafter fully appear. movement from the rotation of a winding- In the drawings, A is the pillar-plate, B is stein, preferably located and turning in the the mainspring-arbor,andGis thehand-arbor, pendant-knob of the watch-case, and whereby of a watch-movement.

the winding of the mainspring will be se- D is arotatory arbor or winding-stem turnoured in either direction of rotation of said ing in suitable bearings on the inner or under 70 2o stem. side of the pillar-plate; and E, Fig. 3, is a The mechanism of this invention, in subbevel gear-wheel on the winding-stem D and stance, consists of two gear-wheels, each engaging a bevel-crown gear-wheel F, turnloosely turning on a stud, or preferably an ing in common with a gear-wheel G, carried arbor, and an arbor common to both, and the by a yoke H, arranged to swing around and 75 mainspring-arbor of the watclrmovement, engage with a circular stud J, secured to the two ratchet or clutch wheels, one for each of pillar-plate A. The gear-wheel G on opposaid loose gear-wheels, two pawls or clutches site sides meshes a gear-wheel K and a smaller arranged in one direction of rotation of said gear-wheel L. loose gear-wheels to engage and in the other I11 Figs. 1 and 2 the gear-wheel L is carried 80 3o direction thereof to pass freely over the by the swinging yoke II.

ratchet or clutch wheels and to rotate them The gear-wheel L, Figs. 1 and 2, in all pcin opposite directions, and a rotatory arbor or sitions of the yoke, is in engagement with a winding-stem suitably connected to both of gear-wheel M, carried by the yoke, and which said loose gear-wheels, preferably located and when the yoke is swung in the proper direc- 85 3 5 turning in the pendant-knob of the watchtion therefor meshes the cannon-pinion N of case, all combined together and arranged so the hand-arbor, and thus hand-arbor C and that by turning said rotatory arborvin eithc r winding-stem D are connected. direction the mainspring-arbor will be rotated The gear-wheel K, placed in engagement in one direction only and a direction to wind with the winding mechanism, by properly o 40 the mainspring, all substantially as hereinswinging the yoke H therefor, drives the after described. mainspring-arbor B, as will hereinafter ap In the drawings forming part of this specipear. fication, Figure 1 is a plan view, enlarged, of 0, Figs. 1 and 2,is a'bent spring applied to the outer face of the pillar-plate and of the the swinging yoke H and attached to the pil- 5 mechanism, in one form of its arrangement, lar-plate for holding the gear-wheel M out of of this invention for winding mainsprings, engagementwith the cannon-pinionNand the and in which the two loose gear-wheels and driving gear-wheel K in engagement with the the two ratchet-wheels are arranged in commainspring-winding mechanism, and P is a inon upon the mainspring-arbor. Fig. 2 is a cam-shaped lever fulcrumed on the pillar- I00 similar view to Fig. 1, showing one of the plate for swinging the yoke H against the loose gear-wheels and its ratchet-wheel de-' bent spring 0 to place the driving gear-wheel K out of engagement with the mainspringwinding mechanism and the gear-wheel. M in to engagement with the cannon-pinion N, and for so holding them until through said camlever the yoke ll. is set free to the action of its bent spring 0 to again place driving gearwheel K into engagement with the mainsliring-winding mechanism and gear-wheel M out of engagement with the cannon-pinion N, all as ordinary and well known and forming no part of this invention.

The winding-stem D, preferably, is to be inelosed in the pendant-knob (not shown) of the movement-case, (not shown,) and is otherwise constructed and arranged of itself and in its connection (all not shown) with the pusherbutton (not shown) of the pendant-knob to be always in proper connection for being rotated and otherwise to serve all purposes, and as well known, the whole forming no part of this invention, and therefore, being well known, needs no further particular explanation herein. The mainspring-winding mechanism illustrated, Figs. 1, 2, and 4 to 0, both inclusive, in various forms of construction and arrangement of its several parts and in the special form of construction and arrangement of its several parts, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, will now be described.

R S are two gear-wheels on maiuspringarbor B. The gear R is smaller than and is placed below the gear S, and it rests on a shoulder (t of the arbor B. The gear S rests on the pillar-plate, and both gears R S are loose and free to turn on arbor B.

T U are two ratchet-wheels of similar size and both fitting and engaging the mainspringarbor B and turning in common with it. This arbor B, as shown, is made square-sided, and each ratchet-wheel tits and engages the arbor.

T U are ratchet-wheels, one for each loose gear-wheel R S, and each ratchet-wheel is re ceived in a countersink or recess Z) of the upper face of the loose gear-wheels, and the teeth of both ratchet-wheels are presented in the same direction as to the axis of the arbor B, Figs. 1. and 2.

V \V are two pawls, each fnlerumed on a loose gear-wheel R S,and each at its free end engages the teeth of a ratchet-wheel T ll of its gear-wheel R S.

f is a bent spring, at one end fastened to the gear-wheels R and at its opposite and free end pressing against a pawl V \V.

The driving gear-wheel K, carried by the swinging yoke II, with said yoke in its normal position, meshes the smaller loose gearwheel R, and also a pinion gear-wheel X, which turns on a fixed stud X of the pillarplate and meshes the larger loose gear-wheel S. The rotation of the driving gear-wheel K directly rotates the loose gear-wheel R and the pinion gear-wheel X, turning both in the same direction, and indirectly through the pinion gear-wheel X it also rotates the loose gear-wheel S, but in a direction opposite to that of the loose gear-wheel R. If the direction of rotation of the loose gear-wheel R from the rotation of the driving gear-whe( K is such that its springpawl V engages the teeth of its ratchet-wheel'l,then said ratchele wheel will be thereby rotated in common with said loose gearwheel R, and through it, as it is engaged with the mainspring-arbor, as before explained, such arbor will be correspondingly and similarly rotated, while as the loose gearwheelS rotates in a direction opposite to that of the loose gear-wheel R, the teeth of both ratchet-wheels being, as stated, presented in the same direction, obviously the loose gear-wheel S will then simply turn on the niainspring-arbor, its spring-pawl \V freely passing and slipping over the teeth of its ratchet-wheel U. Again, if the direction of rotation of the loose gear-wheel R from the rotation of the driving gear-wheel K is such that its spring-pawl V passes and slips freely over the teeth of its ratchet-wheel T, then said ratchet-wheel will remain statimiary, and from the then rotation of the loose gearwheel S, which is in an opposite direction to that of the loose gearwheel R and in a direction for its spring-pawl \V to engage the teeth of its ratchet-wheel U, said ratchet-wheel and the mainspring-arbor are consequently rotated therefrom, and, as is obvious, in a direction which is the same as that of its previous rotation from the rotation of the loose gear-wheel R when its sprii'igpawl V did engage with the teeth of its ratchetwheel U. It thus appears that in either (lll't'K'ftion of rotation of the driving gear-wheel K the mainspring-arbor is rotated always in one and the same direction, and as the driving gear-wheel K receives its rotation from the rotation of the rotatory or pendant arbor D, plainly, in whatever direction that is retated, the 1nainspring-arbor is always rotated. in one direction only, whereby, it being of course understood that the so secured direction of rotation. of the mainspring-arbor is one suitable to secure a winding of the mainspring therefrom, the winding of the mailr spring is secured by a rotation in either direction of the winding-stem l).

The other forms of construction. and ar rangement of the several parts of the meclv anisms of this invention are now to be described.

In Fig. 6 each of the loose gear-wheels R S, with its pawl V \V and ratchet-wheels T l, turns on separate studs 10 and 1], of the pillar-plate, and both loose gear-wheels R S ongage the common driving gear-wheel K. The teeth of the ratchet-wheels T I are opposed relatively to the direction of rotation of the inainspring-arbor 13. Each ratchet-wheel has a fixed gear-wheel l2 13, in dotted lines, and the fixed gear-wheel 12 meshes gear-wheel '1 i, and fixed gear-wheel l3 meshes a gearovheel 15, turning on a fixed stud of the )illar-plate and meshing said gear-wheel H, which is fixed on the 1nainspring-arbor 13.

TlO

111 Fig. 7 the loose gear-wheel R, with its pawl and its ratchet-wheel T, is on, and the ratchet-wheel fixed to, the mainspring-arbor B, and the loose gear-wheel S, with its pawl NV and its ratchet-wheel U, is loose on a fixed stud 16 of the pillar-plate. Loose gearwheel R meshes driving gear-wheel K and loose gear-wheel S meshes a gear-wheel 17, turning on a fixed stud of the pillar-plate and meshing the driving gear-wheel K and a gear-wheel 241, fixed to the ratchet-wheel U of loose gearwheel S, which meshes a gear-wheel 18, turning on a fixed stud of the pillar-plate and meshing a fixed gear-wheel 19 of the mainspring-arbor B. The teeth of both ratchetwheels T U are presented in the same direction relatively to mainspring-arbor.

In both arrangements, Figs. 6 and 7, the turning of the driving gear-wheel K in either direction rotates the loose gear-wheels R S in opposite directions, and rotates the mainspring-arbor B in one direction only.

In Fig. 8 both loose gear-wheels R S, with their spring-pawls V \V and ratchet-Wheels T U, are on a common arbor 20, having a fixed gear-wheel 21, meshing a gear-wheel 22 of the yoke II, in turn arranged to mesh a fixed gear-wheel 23 of mainspring-arbor B. The loose gear-wheels R S are crown gearwheels, and both mesh a common bevel gearwheel 26 of the rotatory or pendant arbor D, and which gear 26 is located between them. The teeth of the ratchet-wheels are presented in the same direction relatively to the direction of rotation of mainspring-arb0r, and the loose gear-wheels R S rotate in opposite directions and the mainspring-arbor in one direction only.

In Fig. 9 loose gear-wheels R S (shown as bevel gear-wheels) have toothed clutchingrims 27 28, respectively, and all 011 a common arbor 29 of the pillar and top plates, having a fixed gear-wheel 30 to be connected to mainspring-arbor. Arbor 29 has two separate clutching-collars 31 32 to turn with, but to be free to slide-lengthwise on it. These clutchin g-collars 31 32 have a spring 33 between them and coiled about the arbor 29, all so as to engage both clutching-collars with their respective clutching rims of the loose gear-wheels, and to allow them to pass from and return to such engagement in the rotation of the loose gearwheels. The loose gear-wheels are in mesh with a common bevel gear-wheel 34: at opposite sides thereof and which rotates with the winding-stem D. Turning the rotatory arbor D in either direction turns the fixed gearwheel 30 of arbor 29 in one direction only, and through its connection (not shown) with mainspring-arbor that also is turned in one direction only. i

In turning the winding-stem D in one direction, one of the clutching-rims 27 or 28 of the loose gear-wheels R S takes hold of its clutching-collar 3]. or 32 of the arbor29, which is common to all, and the other clutchingrim 27 or 28 of theloose gear-wheels R S slips and passes freely over its clutching-collar 31 The loose gear-wheels R S turn in opposite directions.

All the constructions and arrangements of 1nainspring-winding mechanism shown and described embrace substal'itially the same elements and are substantially the same, varying only in forms of details and their arrangement. In each there are two loose gear-wheels and two ratchet or clutch wheels, and two pawls or clutches to engage said ratchet or clutch wheels, combined with said loose gearwheels and the mainspring-arbor and otherwise, as described, to secure a rotation of the two loose gear-wheels in opposite directions, and from them a rotation of the mainspringarbor in one direction only.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a watch-movement actuated from the unwinding of a wound spring, mechanism for winding said spring, composed of two loose-turning gear-wheels, two ratchet or clutch wheels, one for each of said loose gear-wheels, two pawls or clutches to en gage and to pass freely over said ratchet or clutch wheels, and means, consisting of a driving gear-wheel having connection with both of said loose gear-wheels, whereby from its rotation in either direction the loose gearwheels will be simultaneously rotated, but in opposite directions, all combined, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. I11 combination with a watch-movement actuated from the unwinding of a wound spring, mechanism for winding said spring, composed of two loose-turning gear-wheels, an arbor or stud common to both of said gearwheels, two ratchet or clutch wheels, one for each of said gear-wheels, two pawls or clutches to engage and to pass freely over said ratchet or clutch wheels, and means consisting of a IIO driving gear'wheel having connection with both of said loose gear-wheels, whereby from its rotation in either direction the loose gear-, wheels will be simultaneously rotated, but in opposite directions, all combined, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with a watch-movement actuated from the unwinding of a wound spring, mechanism for winding said spring, composed of two loose-turning gear-wheels, an arbor or stud common to both of said gearwheels, two ratchet or clutch wheels, one for each of said gear-wheels, two pawls or clutches to engage and to pass freely over said ratchet or clutch wheels, and a gear-wheel to directly mesh with one and to connect with the other of said loose gear-wheels through an intermediate gear-wheel, and to rotate them in opposite directions, all combined, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

l. In combination with a watch-movement ITS ing gear-wheel adapted to he adjusted to place its said gear-Wheel in and out of said mesh, all eomhined, arranged, and operating' suhsinntinlly as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. in the presence of two subs-(arming- Wituess :1.

W. TIFFORI).

\Vitznesses:

Annnrrr W. llnowx, FRANCES M. 'lnwwn 

